As many of you know, I’ve been adjusting to life after a diagnosis of CRPS in my left foot and lower leg. A chronic illness changes everything. But the advice below from Wellness Warrior Lisa Douthit is excellent. Go slow, get help, and do what you can to Take Care… of yourself, your spirit, and your business.
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The Best Advice You’ll Get After A Diagnosis

Originally posted October 5, 2016 By Lisa Douthit, Wellness Warrior

Getting a diagnosis of any kind is stupid scary.

When you hear words like, ‘Cancer’ or ‘Chronic Illness’ come out of a doctors mouth, it’s easy to let fear to take over causing your body and mind to go on overload.
I remember the first time I had cancer. I was 26 years old and went to see my family physician to get some cream for an unsightly rash on my arm.
I didn’t think much about wanting to run a few tests because he was always looking to earn a few extra bucks with labs. What I never expected was to be sitting across from him a week later as we was showing me the baseball size tumor sitting on my heart and giving me a referral to an oncologist. I heard something about limited options and positive odds, but there was too much noise from the screaming I heard in my head to really understand what he was saying.

The next couple weeks where a blur of well wishers informing me of secret diets and bad tasting herbs that cured my particular cancer. What was even worse was listening to untold stories of somebody’s aunt or cousin that was cured spontaneously. Since that didn’t seem to be happening for me, it just made me feel bad.

People mean well, but there is some really bad recommendations of what to take or do out there in the world. Through six different diagnosis’s of cancer and autoimmune disease, I feel like I’ve experienced them all.

I’ve heard it all over the years and sifted through the bad advice to find the gold nuggets.

Here’s the best advice you’ll get after a diagnosis

1. Slow down there partner – Panic is an easy ‘go to’ when you hear terrible news. Your body automatically goes into a fight or flight response when you’re scared which is why you want to run out of the room screaming. Remember to breathe. When you feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through your body close your eyes and take 10 deep breathes. This pattern interrupt is scientifically proven to chemically change the stress response you feel in your body and get you out of freak out mode. I still do this exercise whenever I need to get labs or tests done to keep calm and carry on.

2. Do your homework – The first thing your doctor may tell you is to NOT google your diagnosis. Although there is a lot of information that may not be in your best interest on the internet, I think it is important get as much information possible about your disease. Also, make sure you take notes and have a list of questions to ask at your next doctor’s visit.

3. Don’t be too quick to share your news – Hearing that a loved one has serious health issues can be traumatizing. I spent much of my time in the early phase of diagnosis consoling my friends and family and reassuring them that I would be alright. It was even more exhausting than having to deal with my own concerns. Feel free to spread your horrible news to the grocery checker, the postman, or clerk at the dry cleaner but don’t tell anyone that you truly care about until you are emotionally ready. It may fell unbearable to not blurt it out at the dinner table but sit with your diagnosis for a moment until you are strong enough to handle them. Remember, they are scared too, be patient.

4. Find a doctor that will participate in your wellness not your illness – Many health professionals are treating the illness, not the person. If you doctor is checking his watch or dismissing your concerns, do not hesitate to find another one. They work for you, not the other way around. Even in HMO’s you can request a different practitioner if you are not getting your needs met.

5. Clean your house – There is no room for energy drainers in your life right now. Unload activities or people that aren’t serving you. It’s time to unapologetically put you first and clean out anyone or anything that is cluttering your life with drama.

6. Get uplifting support by folks that understand – Not all support groups are created equal. Some like to wallow in misery. FaceBook as some great private groups that are filled with people just like yourself. Find the one that fits the best and get to know the people there. They can also answer your questions about symptoms better than medical professionals sometimes because they have physical experience with them. Doctors only have book knowledge about your disease.

7. Don’t be afraid to explore other options – Stay grounded in your treatment but don’t neglect other possibilities to treat your whole body. I found many complementary modalities to help speed my recovery. There is more out there than pills. Find what works best for you.

8. Clean your internal house too – Your body needs all the loving support it can get. Take a deep dive into your kitchen pantry and get rid of anything with more than three ingredients on the label. Would you put cheap gas in a Rolls Royce? Start eating more real foods that come from the earth and juicing vegetables. For more tips and recipes check out these resources.

9. Ask yourself this question: “What if this were happening for me and not to me?” – We’ve all bellied up the the pity party bar at some point and poured ourselves a strong one. Once that is done and you are ready to move forward with your recovery, it’s time to turn your medical trauma into wisdom. Ask yourself why this is happening for you and the lesson will reveal itself. Then follow the answer to find your deeper meaning.

10. Never lose hope – Winston Churchill famously said, “If you’re going through hell, keep going.” He also said, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never.” No matter what your diagnosis, keep moving forward in your search for wellness. You may not be perfectly healthy but you can always strive to be the best version of yourself no matter where you are in your healing journey.

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About Lisa Douthit Wellness Warrior

Lisa Douthit is the author of Amazon’s #1 bestselling book, Wellness Warrior – Fighting for Life in Fabulous Shoes and a Master Healer who is passionate about healing from all perspectives. After struggling with multiple bouts of cancer and autoimmune disease, she understands the physical, spiritual, and emotional pain you feel and has made it her mission to have a voice for all those with an invisible illness. She learned how to be well without perfect health and wants to share her knowledge so we can all live the life we’ve been dreaming of. She has a private Facebook Group called Wellness Warrior Tribe for all those with chronic illness looking for support and encouragement.

For more out of the box thinking that is guaranteed to bring you joy, Like her FaceBook Page Here or join the tribe Here. www.lisadouthit.com